1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a lifting device, and more particularly to a combination spacer and lifting device, for use with a backhoe having a typical bucket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art, various problems and difficulties are being encountered in providing suitable means for using a backhoe machine as a lifting device for an on-the-job crane mechanism. That is, very often there is a need to lift or move a load or structure where only a backhoe device is available. The backhoe is mainly designed to dig trenches and to perform like operations by means of a hydraulically operated bucket which is generally provided with digging teeth along the leading edge thereof. These teeth have been used to lift loads or structures, but in many cases with very limited success. Chains and cables are sometimes employed by wrapping them around the bucket, and this has not produced the best results.
Accordingly, there is a need for a lifting device that can be simply attached to a backhoe unit without requiring changes to the backhoe or bucket, and can be left in place as a functional part of the machine.
Known prior patents include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,712 to Cairns discloses a ripper tooth for a backhoe; it suggests no hook hanging downwardly close to his bucket surface between his plates 2 and 3, to allow hook pivoting, and it has no chain whatsoever;
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,501,817 to Bambenek, 4,320,561 to Muller, and 2,515,571 to Siler merely show hooks per se, and not in any relation to lifting buckets;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,887 to De Carli merely shows a chain and hook supported by the boom of a bucket loader;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,996 to Carter discloses a ripper attachment to a backhoe;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,402,352 to Taylor discloses a hook and chains supported tongs attachment to a bulldozer;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,348 to Lydie discloses a ripper tooth attachment to a bucket;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,24,035 to Hornstein discloses apparatus to convert a loader bucket to a pallet loader, and has a chain extending about a bucket;
German Pat. No. 25 14 070 discloses ripper teetch attached to a bucket; and
Russian Pat. No. 711339 discloses a hook suspended by a chain attached to a bucket cutting edge.